What is causing England's rural homelessness crisis?

Sky News can reveal that rural homelessness is growing rapidly with more than 20,000 people classified as homeless in rural England in the latest figures.

Many of them are out of sight and in desperate conditions, as Sky's Dan Whitehead found out.

#ruralhomelessness #homelessness #rural #skynews

[nicolasbenson]

Because so many people overpaid for homes even while loan rates were low, I believe there will be a housing catastrophe because these people are in debt. If housing costs continue to drop and, for whatever reason, they can no longer afford the property and it goes into foreclosure, they have no equity since, even if they try to sell, they will not make any money. I believe that many individuals will experience this, especially given the impending mass layoffs and rapidly rising living expenses.

[starkiller]

I was 17 and homeless in England. Not rural. In Essex.

It was over 3 months to get a council supported access to a homeless shelter. Luckily a generous stranger allowed me to stay in their guest room after I made a public post on Facebook.

We still speak to this day. Luckily, 8 years later I have a degree, corporate job in London and can afford rent and luxuries.

It's a very tough situation and without the support I got from kind souls - I doubt I would have made it out so quickly or at all.

[jimmy_camping]

There is something really wrong with society if we are having to build 'pods' for individuals as temporary housing solutions...perhaps charity begins at home first?

[ShazWag]

I ran away whilst still at school because of sexual and emotional abuse at home. There was no real help, so I barricaded myself into an empty room I found at the local hospital, but sometimes I slept under stairwells in blocks of flats. A lot of bad things happened, then much later in my life I realised that I'd dissociated and had been living in a state of trauma.

[drevil]

Spent 2 years homeless in UK was awful my heart goes out everyone got a story and deserve a chance at happiness

[earnestequivocation]

Whole system is rotten to the core. Obscene profit levels from land owners/ land bankers need to be heavily taxed. Greed of developers needs to be tackled - plastic and plasterboard wendy houses overlooked on '8 sides' are par for the course. Rental sector needs regulation.

[lorraine]

24 years old, poor guy shivering with cold, it actually made my eyes well up with tears .

[adamsmith]

My heart goes out to everyone experiencing homelessness. I can’t even imagine.

[kelseywood]

I'm from US, I was homeless for years here. I finally got housing, after years of homelessness. God bless all these people. If I were rich I would give all of them homes!

[rosefamily]

Hats off to each and every person that helped those in need x

[marktucker]

The government could end homelessness tomorrow if they really wanted to

[John-sbpn]

Here in the Netherlands, landlords can only sell when renters leave or, when they don't, to another landlord. Kicking out a family of 5 out on the steet is just incomprehensible to me... And I'm writing that as a landlord.

[sunnysparkles]

Even if u find somewhere to live with money for rent, landlords ask for work records, credit checks and bank statements.. If your homeless u don't have them.

[phillyblunts]

Trouble is most of us are only two pay cheques away from being in the same place as this young man

[thegeminiclub]

omg those people that are going out, finding homeless people and getting them a place to live just melted my heart
We need to see more kind deeds

[Azzyw]

This is happening here in America too. Even where I live in Oklahoma, housing prices are on the rise. The rich are buying houses here, fixing them and putting them up for rent. Crazy how this is becoming a huge problem everywhere.

[rowanirasinclaire]

Sadly, Norfolk has quite a few villages where over 50% of homes now are second homes or holiday lets. The rise in homelessness is heartbreaking

[michaelpout]

It's soul destroying being homeless I was for nine months and I'm living in a hostel now I'm still traumatised by the experience of it I still drink loads to block out the memorys of it there need to be a massive reform on the homeless crisis everywhere

[billynightmare]

It's amazing how fast the authority's move when a film crew is

[Azzaro-gt]

I had to rough it in my cars for several months a few years back through winter and even with a thick sleeping bag it was still almost unbearable. Glad the young man got somewhere because i don't think he would be here now. It's lovely to see there is still some caring folk out there. ✌️